President Bola Tinubu has announced the commencement of a 30-day national conference dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by Nigerian youths.
During his Independence Day broadcast, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of empowering young people, who make up over 60 percent of the country’s population, and involving them in shaping the nation's future. He described the conference as a platform for youth engagement in tackling issues related to education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice.
“We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognizing that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects,” said Tinubu. He further explained that the conference will create opportunities for meaningful dialogue, encouraging the active participation of youths in nation-building.
The 30-day conference, according to the President, will allow young Nigerians from all regions to collaboratively develop solutions to critical national issues. Tinubu also assured that the recommendations from the forum would be given full consideration by the government to ensure inclusive progress.
Additionally, the President highlighted other youth-centric initiatives under his administration, including the 3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, both designed to enhance opportunities for the nation's youth. He also announced the upcoming launch of the "Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme," aimed at creating 2.5 million jobs annually.
With these initiatives, President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration's commitment to building a prosperous and inclusive Nigeria where the voices of the youth are central to policy-making and national development.
He said, “We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognising that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects.
“Considering this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population.
“It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.
“The 30-day Confab will unite young people nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will be designed in close consultation with our young people through their representatives.
“Through this confab, it will be our job as leaders to ensure that their aspirations are at the heart of the conference’s deliberations. The government will thoroughly consider and implement the recommendations and outcomes from this forum as we remain resolute in our mission to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and united Nigeria.”
“We have also enthusiastically implemented the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational dreams. In addition, later this month, we shall launch The Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme.
“It is conceived as a comprehensive suite of interventions at job creation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that is aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly, on an annual incremental basis whilst simultaneously ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country.”
